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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25455055">New Steps</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flakeblood/pseuds/Flakeblood'>Flakeblood</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, Gender Identity, Harry Potter is a Good Friend, Hermione Granger-centric, Ignores Book 7 Epilogue, Minor characters for flavor, Mostly Hemione reflecting, Non-Binary Hermione, Other, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Self-Discovery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:33:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25455055</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flakeblood/pseuds/Flakeblood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione hasn't been complacent with anything in the six previous years of attending Hogwarts, nor the year of running and war. Attending for one last year is not an opportunity to pass up.</p><p>But without Harry or Ron, and thus spending more time with the girls also coming back for an extra year, Hermione might just learn more about herself, or themself, than expected.</p><p>-_-_-</p><p>Or Hermione learns about gender and that it's not set by what others think.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Trans Wizard Tournament 2020, stories of our own: works featuring nonbinary and trans characters</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>New Steps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/lincyclopedia/gifts">lincyclopedia</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey everyone! I'm posting this for the Trans Wizard Tournament 2020, a fandom auction in support of trans charities and nonprofits around the world. The idea was to create works centered around trans and enby depictions of Harry Potter characters and gather them up for July 31, to show that JKR cannot take the fandom from fans.</p><p>I wrote my piece from a prompt by the lovely HermioneGirl96, so I hope it's enjoyable for you! (♡ ὅ ◡ ὅ )ʃ♡</p><p>Just one last note before the fic: This story centers around Hermione thinking about ideas of gender and discovering part of what they are comfortable with. Life doesn't always give obvious answers, as I'm sure many of my wonderful readers will know. So I had to pull from my own experiences and some feedback from friends, then apply it to the story I wanted to tell for these characters.<br/>tl;dr This story isn't representative of gender discovery, and many people will have many different experiences.</p><p>All that said, please enjoy! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Hermione had been hanging out with her boys--and especially during the last year, Harry and Ron were almost exclusively who she’d spent time with--she took notice of their differences. Living in the same place as people will do that. She noticed the differences in their tempers, and what they thought was important, and how they cooled off afterwards.</p><p>She also noticed that Ron and Harry sometimes seemed to think similarly during times she didn’t. It was to be expected, she thought, considering they were boys and she wasn’t, but it had come as a bit of a revelation to her.</p><p>Years they had spent as friends, but they had not lived in close-quarters they way they did while on the run. Hermione quickly learned that she felt different around them, that it was nothing like staying in the dorms at Hogwarts, because all of the little queues she learned to understand and do while in the girl’s dorm meant nothing to them. At the same time, they seemed to have their own set of unspoken rules which they followed, and sometimes the conflicts which arose came from misunderstandings around those rules. She never fell into their rhythm either.</p><p>If there was anything she learned from her times camping and traveling with them for nigh on a year, it was that she wasn’t a boy.</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>“Are you sure?” Ron was looking at her, a bit wary and a lot disappointed.</p><p>“Yes, Ron,” Hermione said. “I want the job I apply for to understand I received every single year’s worth of education at Hogwarts, that I study and put in the time and effort.”</p><p>“You’re already the smartest person I know,” he said. He flopped down into a chair, pouting almost, but only watching as Hermione checked over the things she was packing into the trunk nearby. “What do you need an extra year for?”</p><p>“The ministry is giving everyone who was at Hogwarts, or supposed to be, a make up year. Everything was…” Well she didn’t need to explain things to Ron. They’d all seen the state of things and heard the stories. “I’m not saying no to more education.”</p><p>“But you probably know everything they’re teaching anyway!”</p><p>“The professors are there to help answer questions and really dive into the deeper aspects of each subject. Especially during the year for N.E.W.T.S., professors are able to get into personal experiences which aren’t available in books-”</p><p>“Not available in books? Hermione, I can’t believe you’d say such a thing.”</p><p>Hermione threw a pair of socks at his grinning face.</p><p>“Really,” she huffed, shoving at a few shirts in the trunk.</p><p>Ron laughed, then walked over, bending to plant a kiss on her cheek. Hermione fought the embarrassment, but it was nice, the casual affection.</p><p>“It’s… there won’t be another opportunity like this.” She didn’t have a better way to explain it. It was just something she really wanted--needed, almost. Some normality, something familiar to bring her comfort.</p><p>Ron sighed. “Right.”</p><p>Hermione pushed at the shirts again, tucking at corners and fiddling with the folds.</p><p>Ron laid an arm across her shoulders, putting his side against hers. “You’ll write, won’t you? You can’t spend all your free time studying. Maybe we should plan some days in Hogsmeade...”</p><p>Hermione smiled, feeling heat definitely flood her cheeks. That was as good as a blessing from Ron. She leaned into his side. “Of course I’ll write. I need to make sure you and Harry don’t get into trouble without me.”</p><p>“Like what?” Ron asked with far too much incredulity.</p><p>“I seem to recall the both of you attempting to do a move last week-”</p><p>“Hermione!”</p><p>“-Where you are supposed to make a seven-hundred and twenty degree spin on your broom-”</p><p>“It was nine hundred-”</p><p>“-And some how did not expect that you might fall off your broom-”</p><p>“We just didn’t get the force on the turn right,” Ron protested. “It only happened once.”</p><p>“Three times.”</p><p>Ron groaned and leaned onto Hermione. “Another year at Hogwarts is just going to suck the rest of the fun out of you.”</p><p>“Excuse you?” Hermione leaned her full weight against Ron, using her hands to try and stop herself from getting crushed under his weight. “I am plenty fun.”</p><p>“Oh really?”</p><p>Hermione set her legs, then pushed with all her might, sending Ron toppling over onto the nearby bed with a yelp. Before he could recover from his shock, Hermione scrambled on top of him and held his hands down. “Really.”</p><p>Ron’s face blushed a beautiful shade of pink, all the way back to his ears. He swallowed before saying, with a weak voice, “Prove it.”</p><p>A sharp grin made its way onto Hermione’s face right before she leaned down to plant her lips on Ron’s. She felt his smile as he brought his hands to her head. She would miss this, but she was still determined to have one more year at Hogwarts. She expected the new knowledge would be worth the short separations.</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>“Hermione!” at the sound of her name, Hermione turned, smiling in greeting as the Hufflepuff girl caught up with her.</p><p>“Eloise,” she said, “Finished with Ancient Studies?”</p><p>“Yes. There were some interesting facts about Indian culture today. Actually, we covered a lot about the way witches and wizards called Hijra could perform sorts of magic which just didn’t work for anyone else.”</p><p>Hermione blinked, taking in the information as a small bell in the back of her mind chimed. “Really? How so?”</p><p>“Well, it was probably partially because only Hijras were taught the specialized magic, but no one has ever managed to do the sorts of protective spells they managed over some of their cities, for example. Or to convince rivers to flow in certain ways, all on their own! That would take an incredible amount of magic, yet Hijras could do it single handedly.” Eloise’s eyes shined with passion and wonder, and Hermione felt herself smile at her enthusiasm.</p><p>“That is very interesting. What exactly do you mean by ‘Hijra’ though?”</p><p>“Oh, yes.” Eloise laughed the awkward, chirping way she did when she had forgotten an explanation and rubbed at her own hands. “From what I understand, it was a way to refer to a number of witches or wizards who could turn their own energy into ‘sacred powers’. I suppose that’s part of the reason they had so much magical power. Actually, though I keep saying witch and wizard, of course those terms wouldn’t have been used, but it seems they didn’t have a gendered word for their magic users, because some Hijras had slightly different ideas of what being Hijra meant for them. Some renounced any gender or, um, relations, you know? At least, that’s how it was explained in class. I’m hoping we have more materials in the library actually, because-”</p><p>Different genders. Hermione didn’t mean to tune Eloise out, so she did try to make appropriate noises as the girl chattered on, but something had caught her interest. Mulling the information over, she realized she would need to study it herself to understand her sudden fascination. She accepted Eloise’s invitation to meet in the library later; When a subject caught her attention, she knew to give it all the time and resources required, lest she be left unfulfilled.</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>Moving back into the girls’ dorm had been nostalgic and nerve wracking both. She saw some new faces, most familiar, and yet so many were just as haggard and weary as she. Still, Hogwarts students proved to be resilient, and those back at the school were mainly hopeful. It felt like a second home. Adjusting to the schedules took time, as did living with other people again. She sometimes caught herself eyeing people, watching their movements for treachery, or preparing for sudden attacks.</p><p>She saw others doing the same, as well as younger students who cowered when sudden and unexplained bangs happened. It would take time, she told herself. She knew everyone’s learned habits during that hellish year might never fully disperse, so she tried to be understanding of everyone’s actions, and encouraged others to do the same.</p><p>The kindness and helpfulness which bloomed delighted her. There was no competition amongst the houses, and Hermione often saw students socializing with various other years as well.</p><p>With the environment simultaneously more anxious and understanding at the same time, Hermione was prepared for some of the other girls in Gryffindor to begin including her in their study sessions.</p><p>Together, they pondered their given subjects, passed around ideas for what the N.E.W.T.S. might be like, and buoyed each others’ spirits when studying seemed too difficult. Sometimes, they also talked about their personal lives.</p><p>“I told my father that I had to come back. It seemed like a- Well, it was a scary thought,” Alice admitted to the table. She wound the end of her amber-red plait through the fingers of one hand. “That things might not be all the different from last year. Even though I knew it couldn’t be true.”</p><p>Her friend, Fay, nodded from her side, using her longer fingers to entangle with Alice’s and stopping her worried motions. “I tried to convince them, too. I think everyone felt a lot better at the thought of us sticking together.”</p><p>Alice nodded back, scooting even closer on the loveseat they had pulled up to the table.</p><p>“That’s understandable,” Hermione said. She was working over a difficult problem in Advanced Arithmancy, and was considering getting a snack to see if it would help her brain function better.</p><p>“I suppose,” Fay admitted, sounding unhappy. She lowered her voice to say, “Everyone is acting different. I mean, I guess I am too, and I get it, but it’d also be nice to just have some normal things, you know? Like, where’s a boy ready for a good snogging?”</p><p>Alice snort-giggled and Fay did too, the two of them leaning into each other, heads tilted together as they shared their merriment.</p><p>“I- I don’t think that would help much with my project,” Hermione stuttered, embarrassed with herself.</p><p>“Oh, come on, we only have one more year here,” Fay chastised, rolling her eyes. “Aren’t you with Ron anyway? You get to visit him on the weekends if you want.”</p><p>Alice smiled, shifting her papers around with her free hand. “I agree with Hermione. I just don’t think I can think about trying to impress anyone else right now. This is probably the hardest my brain has ever worked.”</p><p>Fay giggled. “Well, no worries then. You don’t have to impress us.” They laughed some more as Alice nudged her, swaying back and forth as they stayed pressed together, hip to shoulder. “Right, Hermione?”</p><p>“Um, yes. That’s right,” she managed. And she thought to herself that she was glad she didn’t have to spend time impressing Ron either, these days, as she watched two of her friends huddle closer.</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>Hermione looked down. Normally, she didn't ponder her uniform so much, but she had been thinking about herself a lot lately. Her uniform was something worn everyday, without thought, and perhaps she should give it some.</p><p>As she sat, looking down, she tapped her feet together--the leather clacked pleasantly. Then her tall stockings, well fitted, then her skirt, folding over her knees. A fine sweater sat over her button-up shirt. Finally, she pulled at her robes, taking the time to close them and look over the embroidery of the crest.</p><p>She had no particular thoughts on these clothes: They were simply what she wore as per the rules of the school. But… maybe, she thought, she had leaned on the rules quite a lot, even for things like appearance.</p><p>She considered the other uniform worn at the school, the one for boys.</p><p>It took her several more minutes of pondering before she decided to take action, then several hours to get the proper materials and study the spells she would need. Finally, though, Hermione raised her wand over an extra uniform of hers.</p><p>It took a few minutes, and some complicated wording and wand movements--Hermione thought she would have to be more grateful for the tailoring shops in the future--but eventually she had an acceptable looking boys’ uniform.</p><p>She took it in her hands, turned it around, and checked that it would stand up to some wear. Then she changed.</p><p>All in all, it didn’t feel that different--not like she had expected.</p><p>The pants felt like pants, just a little too short on the ankle. The tops weren’t that different from what she usually wore. The socks were shorter than her stockings.</p><p>She moved over in front of a mirror. She still didn’t feel different; No revelation fell into place. But… she still felt like something was off. Something crying for her attention. Something deeper than what she was wearing.</p><p>She changed clothes.</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>They.</p><p>It was a simple word, one generally used when speaking of multiple people or a single person whose gender was not known.</p><p>Them.</p><p>Or, apparently, used when terms like she/her or he/him didn’t apply, didn’t work, didn’t feel right. It was not a large amount of witches or wizards--and what was the term when you weren’t either?--who had studied and talked about the idea of multiple other genders. At least, not which she could find here in the current section of the Hogwarts library.</p><p>Sighing, she closed the current book and moved it over to the pile she wanted to check out for personal reference. For a moment she wished she was enrolled in Ancient Studies--surely the professor would have more information. But that was one of the issues: Hermione didn’t want only knowledge of the far past. As much as she enjoyed reading about Empires in China, and Persia, and Egypt, along with many others, and learning what each culture wrote about in terms of gender and sexuality in ancient times, it was ancient.</p><p>Hogwarts library, incredible as it was, did not receive books as quickly as Hermione thought it should. Much information was decades, if not centuries, old. It didn’t help that fewer authors wrote about their own “modern” times at all, referencing mainly older texts.</p><p>Grabbing a large tome, dusting off the faded yellow leather with her sleeve, Hermione resigned herself to learning from distant cultures.</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>Hermione walked out of the classroom, thinking of the covered materials and already planning where to find the necessary books for her essay assignment. She was not, however, so deep into her thoughts that she didn’t notice the gaggle of girls in the hallway.</p><p>Hermione’s first thought was how glad she was to see several of the house colors on the robes of the group. The war had done a lot, most of it devastating, but Hermione was glad to see more companionship amongst the houses--more friends groups branched out past their own houses this year than they did before.</p><p>Her second thought was the way they acted.</p><p>They moved together, giggling as they whispered, waving hands in disbelief and mischief as they recounted gossip. There was nothing odd about it, but Hermione couldn’t quite grasp what made her feel so… other.</p><p>While Hermione herself had never been as social as the others in the dorm, preferring to study and pursue different subjects, she noticed now that it wasn’t only Gryffindors. The other girls in the group were chatting along, mentioning lessons sometimes, but the way they spoke, and gestured, and the way they interacted with each other, it was odd.</p><p>It was so distinctly female, Hermione wondered how she hadn’t noticed it before.</p><p>Through the hallways, past classrooms, and all the way to the library, Hermione wondered. And she thought, <i>“Maybe ‘she’ isn’t what I want for me after all.”</i></p><p>0-o-0</p><p>Ron. With the bright candle light reflecting from the polished oak tables, he was lit up in perfect compliment to his smile. Hermione caught themself staring at how happy Ron was to see them.</p><p>“Hermione,” he greeted, standing up to give them a hug as they practically skipped over. To the top of their head he whispered, “I missed you.”</p><p>“Missed you too,” they said, squeezing him tightly. “I was getting sick of studying.”</p><p>“Hermione, sick of books?” Ron laughed.</p><p>They elbowed him in the side.</p><p>Eventually they settled in a seat, greeting Harry as well. The evening was full of jokes, and catching up with the various misadventures the boys had gotten into. Hermione talked about how everyone who had gone back to Hogwarts was doing. The lights seemed even brighter and the room warmer as the friends spent more time together.</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re part of a study group,” Ron said. He was shaking his head in exasperation, but his smile stayed firm in his eyes. He turned to Harry to say, “I knew this would happen. Only a few months away from us, and her biggest source of socialization is still studying.”</p><p>Hermione’s smile felt a bit stiff at that statement. Out of everything they had been concerned about, Hermione had forgotten they hadn’t told Ron yet. They inadvertently glanced at Harry, who was looking back at them.</p><p>“Yeah,” Harry said, raising an eyebrow in question. “But that’s Hermione.”</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>“What do you think about gender, Harry?”</p><p>“What do I think of it?” Hermione winced at the befuddled tone, realizing they had not led up to the question properly. “How do you mean?”</p><p>“Erm, well…” Hermione trailed off as they thought of how to phrase it. “What does it mean to be a boy, or a girl? How do you know you’re a boy?”</p><p>Harry suddenly looked a specific kind of uncomfortable as he rubbed at the back of his neck. “Erm…”</p><p>“Aside from your- You know!” Hermione whisper-yelled at him.</p><p>Harry chuckled, but held up his hands in defense. “I got it.”</p><p>Hermione huffed, but said nothing else as Harry concentrated, his eyes narrowing and his brow pushing together in wrinkles. There was nothing to do but wait for his verdict. It was nerve-wracking, even though Hermione was glad he was taking their question seriously.</p><p>Eventually, scratching at his hair he said, “I’m not sure. I guess I can just… feel it?”</p><p>Hermione wanted to be upset, but they saw the truth and consternation in Harry’s gaze, so all they could do was sigh, shoulders slumping.</p><p>“I guess, I might have thought about it before? Uhm, being a boy I mean.” Hermione tilted their head, acknowledging him. Was this what they’d hoped for? “When I was with the Dursleys, Most of the examples I had were- were not good.”</p><p><i>What an understatement,</i> Hermione thought.</p><p>“But since I didn’t have many friends, mostly due to Dudley and his gang, I saw the most of them. They were kinda my only example for boys who would not get… you know. Walloped.”</p><p>Hermione clenched their hands, but leaned into Harry’s side. They were rewarded with a small smile.</p><p>“So, for a while I thought, maybe, I wasn’t supposed to be a boy. I was skinny--shrimpy they said--and I liked things like reading, or just watching the world. I did cooking too, but.” Harry shrugged, his indifference for the skill obvious. “I guess for a while there, I wondered if I was not a boy. Then I finally got to leave, make friends at Hogwarts, spent time with the others in the dorm, and I realized. I was just fine. As- as myself,” he ended somewhat awkwardly.</p><p>“So… that’s how you knew?” Hermione asked.</p><p>“Yeah, I think.” Harry waited for a few moments as she thought over his story. “Why do you ask?”</p><p>“Oh!” Now Hermione fidgeted, unsure how to bring up the subject.</p><p>Harry though, frighteningly observant, said, “You know, Hermione, it won’t make a difference to me.”</p><p>They snapped their eyes to his, biting at their lip. He showed nothing but sincerity and acceptance. Hermione huffed a laugh to themself, unsure how they could have expected anything else from their best friend. He knew better than to throw around judgements like that after what they’d all been through.</p><p>“Yeah. Thanks Harry.”</p><p>“‘Course, ‘Mione.”</p><p>For a long moment, they thought to themself.</p><p>“Harry,” they started hesitantly, “I’ve been thinking about trying out something new for myself.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“I’d like people to start using they, and them, instead of calling me ‘she.’”</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>Once more, Hermione looked at themself. The dorm room mirror showed a reflection, one which they had not pondered so much in years. Tugging at some errant strands of hair, they twisted them back and out of the way.</p><p>Nothing looked different--they still felt like themself. It was only the change of one small thing, just the change of pronouns, but suddenly, it was as if they had discovered something amazing, almost forbidden.</p><p>Hermione looked down at the half-finished and scribbled out letter on their bed.</p><p>Eventually. Eventually they would tell more people.</p><p>As far as Hermione could tell from research, there was no prejudice against different pronoun usage in the wizarding world. Of course, they hadn’t considered the whole “muggle-born” issue until it had been rudely shoved in their face, so they were wary. Understandably, they thought.</p><p>“There’s no rush,” they said. Then looked in the mirror and repeated it, louder and firmer. “There’s no rush. It’s my choice.”</p><p>Hermione stared straight at their own eyes and willed themself to believe it.</p><p>Because even though they were becoming comfortable with the idea, they wanted their boys to know. Harry did, of course, but they… Ron was special.</p><p>A frown pulled down at the same lips Hermione had always had. The mirror reflected their uncertainty, showing it in the dark brown of their eyes, in the creases of their face. Well, it was a new and--if Hermione was being honest--terrifying step, even if it was important to them.</p><p>Once more, Hermione squared their shoulders, and spoke aloud to themself.</p><p>“It’s my choice.”</p><p>0-o-0</p><p>Ron walked with them; side by side they traversed the winding paths at the top of Hogwarts, the bridges between towers. Not many were allowed in Hogwarts besides the teachers and students, but the staff made exceptions for those who fought in the final battle and defended Hogwarts with their lives.</p><p>But Hermione’s mind was on something different.</p><p>“Ron, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about,” they started, “It’s, more of a personal choice because of what I’ve discovered, but I want you to know.” <i>To be accepting of it.</i></p><p>“Okay.” Ron raised an eyebrow, confusion written on it.</p><p>Hermione tried to hold still, lacing their fingers firmly, knowing that wringing their hands together would only make them feel more nervous. They took a calming breath and looked Ron in the eyes, the open, ready-to-listen blue allowing them to finally speak.</p><p>“I’ve been studying a lot about, about gender.” Hermione said, words slowly gaining speed as they spoke. “And I- Well I’d like to use different pronouns, instead of ‘she’ and ‘her.’ I’ve thought about it, and I’ve realized I’m not female-”</p><p>Seeing Ron’s confused furrow and opening mouth, Hermione barreled through with their explanation.</p><p>“-And so I would like to use the pronouns ‘they’ and ‘them,’ because I haven’t figured out what I would like to call my gender, exactly, but I know it’s not the two people think of, really. I’ve read there’s a broad term, ‘non-binary,’ for the other genders, so I-”</p><p>“Hermione.” They stopped at Ron’s interjection, having finally given in to twisting their fingers around each other. “Slow down, would you?”</p><p>They nodded. “This… I don’t want it to-”</p><p>Ron stepped closer, placing a hand on their shoulder. “I’m confused. What-?”</p><p>“I don’t want this to change what we have,” they said. “Not- not much. I guess I just wanted to tell you, I wanted you to know what I learned about myself… So think about it?”</p><p>For a moment, Ron just watched them, then looked over the tops of the Forbidden Forest’s canopy nearby. The wind was steady, but dense fog stayed in place, swirling around the foliage without dissipating.</p><p>“I… I suppose I will.” Ron turned back to rub at his neck with his free hand. “But we’re still, you know…?”</p><p>“Yes Ronald,” Hermione said, grinning as some pressure lifted from their lungs, “You’re still my boyfriend.”</p><p>“Great,” he said, opening his arms for a hug. Hermione returned it gratefully.</p><p>Though they weren’t certain what the future might bring, Ron was calm and confident, and seemed willing to work things out with them. Peace stole over Hermione like a soft blanket, relaxing their muscles into the hold. They had time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Aaaand done! Hooray! This was a fun and interesting thing for me to write. My first fic in the HP fandom, and I'm damn proud haha. o(^◇^)o<br/>I did want to make this a little lighter, and it made me happy to write Hermione gaining more knowledge and self-acceptance.<br/>What are Ron and Harry doing while Hermione is off at Hogwarts? Helping new businesses take root in the abandoned shops of Diagon Alley, spending time with family and friends, and just... living. (´-ω-`) Maybe also trying more stupid broom tricks haha.</p><p>And yes, Hijras are a recognized third gender in India, as far as I could find. More information in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/16/india-third-gender-claims-place-in-law">this article</a> from The Guardian if you're interested. Eloise didn't get it quite right, but she's learning.</p><p>As fun as this was, I know this touches on important topics for many people, so please let me know if I've missed something, or used improper/offensive wording. Or maybe just placed a pronoun incorrectly. Bouncing back and forth a bit in Hermione's timeline means I may have written one in the wrong place. ^^;<br/>Or, just let me know what sorts of things your enjoyed while reading! I always love seeing comments and talking with y'all.</p><p>Over all though, thank you for reading! (❁´▽`❁)*✲ﾟ* I hope you enjoyed reading it as I enjoyed writing it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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